Effect of chemotherapy on atherosclerotic plaque neovascularisation

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    An investigation into the effects chemotherapeutic agents with anti-angiogenesis activity on intraplaque neovascularisation within carotid atherosclerotic plaques, as measured by contrast enhanced ultrasound

  • IRAS ID

    2960

  • Contact name

    David Owen

  • Sponsor organisation

    Imperial College London

  • Eudract number

    2008-005924-97

  • ISRCTN Number

    N/A

  • Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

    N/A

  • Research summary

    Atherosclerotic plaques grow within the walls of arteries. Plaques can be asymptomatic, grow slowly, or can suddenly rupture. Most heart attacks, and many strokes, are caused by plaque rupture of arteries feeding the heart and brain respectively. Imaging techniques to predict which plaques are stable, and which are vulnerable to sudden rupture could help guide clinicians in treating patients. Inflammation within an atherosclerotic plaque is one sign of plaque instability. New CT and MRI techniques can measure inflammation within plaques, but have disadvantages (radiation and expense respectively) so are unlikely to become routine clinical practice. This study uses a new ultrasound technique to measure a second sign of plaque instability ?? the growth of new blood vessels within the vessel wall. Although atherosclerotic plaques grow within the artery??s wall, they still require their own separate blood supply. As plaques grow, so to do very small blood vessels (inside the artery??s wall) to supply blood to these plaques. The formation of these new blood vessels is related to the stability of the plaque. Therefore, measuring the amount of new vessel formation may provide a means of predicting plaque stability. ??Contrast enhanced ultrasound? (CEUS) involves injecting a contrast agent into blood vessels. The agent can then be detected by ultrasound to quantify the degree of new vessel formation within the artery wall, and thus predict plaque stability. This study will determine whether CEUS can detect a reduction in new vessel formation in a plaque, when a patient is given a drug known to reduce new vessel formation in tumours. The aim of this study is to determine whether it is feasible to use CEUS to monitor changes in neovascularisation within atherosclerotic plaques.

  • REC name

    London - Hampstead Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    08/H0720/124

  • Date of REC Opinion

    23 Oct 2008

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion